


Solitary Thoughts

by smallman



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: M/M, more fluff family shenanigans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-21
Updated: 2016-05-21
Packaged: 2018-06-09 20:47:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6922810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smallman/pseuds/smallman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Niles wakes up one morning and finds he is alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Solitary Thoughts

**Author's Note:**

> I get the sense that Niles suffers from some sort of PTSD/anxiety issues. So yeah
> 
> Smallman! Will you ever get over this game/pairing/gay family? The answer: unlikely

When he woke up he was alone. Momentary silent panic set in but not to a high degree just yet. There were probably plenty of reasons why he wasn't currently laying next to him. Niles breathed in and out slowly to calm himself down and trying not to think too hard he got up. A note on the table. Ok good. He pulled on a robe and picking it up he noticed the handwriting and breathed a sigh of relief. "Girls and I are busy today. Meet us later by the tree in the courtyard." Although not as panicked as before this was not as satisfying an answer as he expected. But at least they were all fine. He would have to be content with this until he met up with them later. Truthfully, he was looking forward to spend the day with the three of them, since it was one of the few days his husband allowed himself to do no King business unless absolutely necessary. Sighing again he decided then to allow himself one of the rare moments of being able to have his own time. After all, Niles spent most of his days now looking after or taking care of raising the girls. Corrin spent all of his free time doing the same but that was harder for him since he mostly had his kingly duties to attend to. The various servants and attendants had all offered to help raise the girls but both Niles and Corrin felt it best that they would do as much on their own.

And now he actually had the day to himself! Niles thought of the various possibilities at hand. Why he could read a book from the large collection Corrin kept, or he could go for a stroll in town, or even spend the day at the hot springs. Or he could do all such things! Niles pulled on an outfit out of the closet and pondered the thought of newfound freedom. It was just like old times before he met Corrin and before he even met his former Lord Leo. Not sure of what to choose, Niles randomly selected a book from the shelf and plopped down in one of the big chairs by the window. 

It was a chronicle of the rulers of Nohr, tracing back to it's conception. The various histories of the Kings and Queens who struggled to establish their mark on the world. It was an older one as it had no mention of the previous King. The wretched Garron. He was Lord Leo's father. Niles' mind began to drift towards remembering what it was like when he was king. Those were days that Niles spent either sleeping for the night or planning out various heists. The night was when he worked best, fitting in well amongst the decrepit not-so-outstanding citizens of Nohr. Garron had focused all of his attention and the kingdom's resources into the way with Hoshido, leaving many of the people poor and desperate. People driven to hunger and thus driven to do horrible things. These things Niles had learned quickly as a child, abandoned and out on the streets. He shut the book.

Well nevermind, he thought to himself, there were plenty of other things that he could do and it wasn't worth it to waste his free day on thoughts of the unchangeable past. Looking outside he was the weather was going to be pleasant and warm. Nothing quite like a nice stroll! Thankfully he wasn't a fully public member of the royal family so he it was unlikely for him to be noticed. He was never good at dealing with public affairs anyway, something that Corrin was much better suited for. Valla was still rebuilding and so while not quite the bustling center that was some of the cities of Nohr, it was still lively with the flux of immigrants that had come in as a result of the fine rule under Corrin. Unlike Nohr the people were unusually friendly, something that still caught Niles offguard as he walked through and people would say "hi". He guessed that somehow the eyepatch wasn't intimidating enough and considered getting one of those spiky belts.

Niles was enjoying wandering past the various streets and markets until a voice called out to him. Taken by surprise, he looked back and frowned realizing who it was. "Roland..." he responded coldly "I didn't expect to see you here." Roland laughed hoarsely "Didn't expect to see you either. Thought you were certainly dead after that last heist." He laughed again, the rough lines and scars of his face shaking and Niles noticed that he was now missing an ear. 

Niles' mind flashed and suddenly he was a child again. The dark room and the boss standing in front of him. Niles was meant to have been the lookout on that evenings raid but he had looked away just for a second. The knife came closer and closer to his face and then... Roland was typically given the job of listening in for secrets and other information.

Roland looked around nervously, "You living here to hid from the boss as well?" Niles shook his head, "I've given up that life Roland. I've got a family now." "HA!" Roland practically spat out "You with a family? Yeah and my aunt's a dragon. People like us don't have families." Niles sighed, "I don't have time for this". He turned to leave but as he walked away Roland shouted at him. "Don't fool yourself Niles! Once an outlaw and always an outlaw!" Niles stopped. How badly he desired right now to see that rat Roland squirming in pain. How close he could have been to teaching him a lesson. The words of Corrin suddenly rushed into his head and he cursed himself. Breathing in deeply he once again began to walk away.

Despite the fact that it was not that late yet, Niles felt oddly exhausted. Well there was still the hot springs that were waiting for him! The idea of the warm water caressing his skin comforted his restless mind and so he headed back to the castle. Thankfully there was no one else there, meaning he would have the entire bath to himself. Slipping into the water he then closed his eye.

But the thoughts wouldn't stop. Gazing into the sky above the baths he realized he was frowning. To himself? Nothing seemed right at the moment. How many times had he told himself that the past couldn't change? Yes it couldn't change but he wanted so desperately to get away from it. He had always been good at dishing out pain but never good at dealing with it like this. The loneliness of the bath encased him and along with it those horrible voices in his head, the ones that often visited in the dark recesses of the night when Corrin wasn't there. He didn't deserve a normal life or happiness. Roland was right perhaps. After all wasn't that why his parents had abandoned him? The water began to feel ice cold and he shivered. How he hated to admit that despite the front of calm aloofness that he hated being alone. 

"Master Niles?" Jakob's voice had called to him from the changing room "King Corrin requests your presence in the courtyard and post haste if I might add!

Niles breathed a sigh of relief. With that he got out of the water and put on some dry clothes. As soon as he entered the courtyard two small figures assaulted his legs. "Daddy!" Kana cried out "You're not supposed to go over there yet!" Niles laughed at the sight of his two daughters pouting, "Calm down now, Jakob just told me that I should come over!" Nina handed him a black cloth and said "Papa says you need to wear this over your eye." Niles raised an eyebrow at this. A small twinge of fear crept through him at the idea of being totally enveloped in darkness. "Don't worry Kana and I will lead you, right?" Nina continued and Kana nodded fiercely. Niles smiled and wrapped the cloth around his head, leaving him completely in the dark. "Alright girls I'm trusting you two not to let me trip over anything!" he said, and they quickly grabbed his hands and began pulling him.

The two girls led Niles for what seemed like a long period of time, complete with excited whispering from Kana and Nina hushing her so Niles wouldn't hear. Eventually they came to a stop and at the same time they both told him to take off the blindfold. In front of him lay a large spread of food and candles and then there was his husband Corrin, looking extremely handsome and beaming at him. Then it suddenly occurred to Niles.

"It's.... my birthday?" he said and the two girls gasped. Corrin frowned, somewhat jokingly, "You forgot again?" Niles chuckled, going over to Corrin and holding his hand, "I guess I'm still not used to celebrating it. Is this what you were busy doing the whole day?" Kana appeared at their feet gushing "Papa, Nina, and I wanted to surprise you! How could you forget it was your birthday daddy?" Nina then grabbed Niles' other hand "He hasn't even seen the best part! Can we show him now Papa?" "Alright girls!" Corrin replied "Let's go show him then!"

They walked over just a little bit where a strange sort of contraption was. Niles quickly recognized the bow was tied in the style that Nina usually did. He gave a questioning look to Corrin. "I don't mean to be ungrateful but..." he said "what IS this?" "Papa said it's called a telescope!" Nina answered. "He says that you use it to look really close at stars!" Kana continued. Corrin gave Niles's hand a squeeze, "It took a while to get here so the girls and I had to make sure you hadn't found out about it too early. Besides I thought it might be nice for you to have the day to yourself." 

Niles kissed Corrin lightly, "There's nothing I'd rather do then spend time with the three of you."

They spent the rest of the night looking at the stars.


End file.
